The present invention relates to carton loading equipment and, more particularly, to grid finger assemblies utilized for guiding containers from a lane in which they are travelling downwardly into compartments of a carton.
As is well known, many carton filling machines provide for movement of containers along lanes into a grid structure corresponding substantially to the compartments of a carton therebelow and into which the containers are to be loaded. Upon actuation of the machine, the containers are allowed to drop downwardly into the compartments of the carton. To guide the containers into the compartments, various types of structures have been proposed.
One of the most common systems utilized for guiding the containers into the carton compartments comprises a multiplicity of fingers which are deflected as the container moves downwardly and which are intended to guide the container into the center of the compartment in the carton. Some of these finger systems utilize separate springs to enhance or control the deflection of the fingers, and frequently the assemblies employ relatively complicated structures to secure the fingers in the holder which is mounted upon the carton loading machine. Some of the mounting arrangements are complex and require relative long downtime to change the fingers for different dimensions of containers or to replace broken fingers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel grid finger assembly which provides a high degree of motion for the individual grid fingers to readily accommodate variations in dimensioning and misalignment of the containers and compartments.
It is also an object to provide such a grid finger assembly utilizing grid fingers which will exhibit relatively long life and minimize interference with the movement of the container into the compartment.
Another object is to provide such a grid finger assembly which may be readily assembled from its components and which may be readily manipulated to allow rapid exchange or replacement of the grid fingers.
A further object is to provide such a grid finger assembly in which the components may be readily and relatively economically fabricated and which will exhibit long life.